- chickabiddynounChapter 2 →
A term of endearment used by grandparents or older relatives for a young child, similar to 'little one' or 'sweetheart.' In this text it is Gram's affectionate nickname for Sal.
- huzzaChapter 10 →
An old-fashioned exclamation of joy or triumph, like 'hurray' or 'hooray.' In this text it is used as a celebratory shout.
- orneryadjectiveChapter 7 →
Stubborn, difficult, and bad-tempered by nature. Used in this text to describe a person or animal that is contrary and hard to deal with.
- lunaticnounChapter 8 →
A person considered wildly irrational or mentally unstable. In this text it is used informally to label someone whose behavior seems dangerously unpredictable.
- rhododendronnounChapter 14 →
A flowering shrub with large, showy blooms that grows in clusters. In this text it carries emotional significance connected to Sal's mother and her departure.
- BadlandsnounChapter 23 →
A rugged, eroded landscape of rocky hills and gullies in the American West. In this text the term refers to the dramatic, unsettling terrain the family drives through on their road trip.
- salamandernounChapter 1 →
A small, smooth-skinned amphibian resembling a lizard that lives near water. In this text it is connected to Sal's name and her family's rural, nature-close way of life.
- marriage bedphraseChapter 12 →
The bed shared by a married couple, used here as a symbol of the intimate bond and loss between Sal's parents. It carries emotional rather than merely literal meaning.
- potentialnounChapter 22 →
The capacity or ability to develop, grow, or achieve something in the future. In this text it is used in a school or personal-growth context to describe what someone might become.
- damselnounChapter 5 →
A young woman, especially one in need of rescue or help. Used here in the old-fashioned phrase 'damsel in distress' to describe a girl or woman in a helpless or vulnerable situation.
- in the course of a lifetimephraseChapter 17 →
Over the full span of a person's life; used to suggest that certain experiences or changes happen gradually and inevitably as time passes.
- bybanksnounChapter 3 →
A small, rural community or settlement along a riverbank or back road. In this text it is the name of Sal's home community in Kentucky, evoking a quiet, old-fashioned country life.
- soulsnounChapter 21 →
The inner spiritual or emotional essence of a person, distinct from the body. In this text the word is used to explore deep personal identity and what makes each person who they are.
- homecomingnounChapter 24 →
The act of returning to one's home or place of origin, often after a long or difficult absence. In this text it carries both a literal and deeply emotional meaning tied to loss and longing.
- distressnounChapter 5 →
A state of great pain, danger, or suffering. Used in this text to describe emotional or physical hardship experienced by a character.
Walk Two MoonsNovel by Sharon Creech